Fuse box



July 26, 1949. BRIGHT 2,477,360

I FUSE BOX Filed 001;. 15, 1948 TI? 5" m INVENTOR.

ATTC! RN EYE Patented July 26, 1949 UNITED PATENT OFFICE FUSE BOXv J ohn W. Bright, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application October 15, 1948, Serial- Noi 54,664}

4 Claims. 1-5

This invention relates to. electrical equipment,, and more particularly to a fuse box.

The object of the invention is to provide a fuse box for use in connecting a lamp. or similar device to a line carrying electrical energy for preventing the main fuse in the line from blowing out in the event. of a, failure or overload in. the lamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fuse box wherein the fusescontained therein can be quickly and easily replaced as. desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fuse box which. is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a partof this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the fuse box electrically connecting fixture wires to a wall. outlet box;

Figure 2 is a. sectional view takenv on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is, an end elevational view of the fuse box;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 6;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 6;

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the fuse box;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary View illustrating the spring for retaining the movable capimmobileon the housing.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the fuse box is preferably fabricated of transparent plastic so that the fuses therein can be readily observed. The fuse box is designated broadly by the numeral l and comprises a cylindrical housing H provided with a pair of spaced parallel open-ended compartments l2 and I3 therein for holding fuses l4. Projecting from one end of the housing H is a pair of spaced, L-shaped metal contacts and I6 for insertion in an outlet l1 supported on the wall IR. A metal headed screw 19 provided with a kerf 20, Figure 6, projects through the housing I I for electrically connecting one end of the fuses M to the complemental contacts [5 and It.

A bolt 2| having a tool-engaging kerf 25 extends through a cylindrical cap 22 and into the housing I I for rotatably connecting the cap 22 to the housing for a purpose to be subsequently described. The cap 22 is provided with a pair of spaced, parallel, open-ended chambers 23 and 2:3

cable 26'. A second cable 28 projects throughtheother compartment 24. and has a plate. is secu edthereto, there being, a. coil spring 3.9. normally Lasing the cable 2.8. into electrical contact. with the other fuse M.

The cap 22is also. provided with a pair of spaced, parallel bores 3| and 32., Figures 2 and which extend longitudinally through the cap 22, the bores being open at. both ends. Upon rotation of the cap. 22, the bores 31. and 3,2 are moved into 2c and out of. engagement with the compartments mentinto and out of' alignment withv the groove A flat spring 33.- upon rotation of the cap 22. is, arranged. in groove 33 and has one end secured to the housing H while the other end of the spring 35 is provided with a finger-engaging loo-p- 38 for lifting the spring out of the groove 34' in the cap 22 when the cap is to be rotated.

In use, the fuse box is shown in Figure 1 interposed in the electrical circuit between a lamp (not shown) and a wall outlet 11. Thus, the metal contacts l5 and it are inserted in the wall outlet l1, and the cables 26 and 28 lead from the fuse box In to a three-way plug 38 which receives therein a plug on a line 39 leading from a lamp or other device. In case of a failure in the lamp, one of the fuses l4 in the fuse box ID will burn out, but the main fuse (not shown) located in the main electrical line will not be affected. The fuse box It] is transparent so that the burned fuse can be seen and to replace the bulb, the spring 35 is lifted, and the cap 22 rotated to move out of the bores 3| and 32 in the cap into engagement with the proper fuse-containing compartment in the housing, and the fuse can be removed. A new fuse is then inserted and the cap 22 rotated to 3 again establish electrical contact between the fuses f4 and the cables 26 and 28.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a fuse box, a housing, a pair of spaced metal contacts projecting from one end of said housing for insertion in a wall outlet, a pair of spaced, parallel, open-ended compartments arranged in said housing for holding fuses therein, means for electrically connecting each of said fuses at one end to one of said contacts, a cap 7 rotatably connected to the other end of said housing, a pair of spaced, parallel, open-ended chambers arranged in said cap and mounted for movement into and out of registry with the compartments in said housing upon rotation of said cap, a cable projecting through each of said chambers and electrically connected to the other end of one of said fuses, means for biasing said cables into electrical contact with the other end of said fuses, and means facilitating the removal of the fuses from their compartments upon a partial rotation of the cap.

2. In a fuse box, a cylindrical housing fabricated of transparent plastic, a pair of spaced metal contacts projecting from one end of said housing for insertion in a wall outlet, a pair of spaced, parallel, open-ended compartments arranged in said housing for holding fuses therein, means embodying headed screws for electrically connecting an end of each of said fuses to one of said contacts, a cap rotatably connected to the other end of said housing, a pair of spaced, parallel, open-ended chambers arranged in said cap and mounted for movement into and out of registry with the compartments in said housing upon rotation of said cap, a cable projecting through each of said chambers and electrically connected to the other end of one of said fuses, means for biasing said cables into electrical contact with the other end of said fuses, and means facilitating the removal of the fuses from their compartments upon a partial rotation of the cap.

3. In a fuse box, a cylindrical housing'fabricated of transparent plastic, a pair of spaced metal contacts projecting from one end of said housing for insertion in a wall outlet, a pair of spaced, parallel, open-ended compartments arranged in said housing for holding fuses therein, means embodying headed screws for electrically connecting an end of each of said fuses to one of said contacts, a cap rotatably connected to the other end of said housing, a pair of spaced, parallel, open-ended chambers arranged in said cap and mounted for movement into and out of registry with the compartments in said housing upon rotation of said cap, a cable projecting through each of said chambers and electrically connected to the other end of one of said fuses, means for biasing said cables into electrical contact with the other end of said fuses, said last-- named means comprising a plate positioned within said chamber and secured to said cable, a coil spring circumposed on said cable and abutting said plate for biasing the latter into contact with said fuse, and a pair of passages through the cap through which said fuses may be removed upon a partial rotation of the cap.

4. In a fuse box, a cylindrical housing fabricated of transparent plastic, a pair of spaced metal contacts projecting from one end of said housing for insertion in a Wall outlet, a pair of spaced, parallel, open-ended compartments arranged in said housing for holding fuses therein, means embodying headed screws for electrically connecting one end of said fuses to said contacts, a cap rotatably connected to the other end of said housing, a pair of spaced, parallel, openended chambers arranged in said cap and mounted for movement into and out of registry with the compartments in said housing upon rotation of said cap, a cable projecting through each of said chambers and electrically connected to the other end of said fuses, means for biasing said cables into electrical contact with the other end of said fuses, said last-named means comprising a plate positioned within said chamber and secured to said cable, a coil spring circumposed on said cable and abutting said plate for biasing the latter into contact with said fuse, there being a pair of spaced, parallel bores in said cap for movement into and out of registry with said compartments upon rotation of said cap for removing and replacing said fuses, and manuallyoperable resilient means for preventing rotation of said cap with respect to said housing.

JOHN W. BRIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hessel Nov, 11, 1924 Number 

